Number 17
by The-dead-make-no-sound
Summary: Johnny Worthington never was a stranger to the opposite sex. He's had he's fair share of the girls. But #17 was a monster to remember.
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N) so the idea for this story was basically that Johnny has a big long list of girls he's "assosiated" with. This story about #17 is basically the one that got away.**

**I might continue and do all 16 girls before 17 but then again I might not. It depends on how inspired I feel. **

**_Number 17_**

The thing about #17 was that she wouldn't have usually been my type. She was shorter than me by a head, and slim, but her hips held the perfect curve as if to tell you where to put your paw. She had a long tail and fur the colour of the sky at night, but eyes the colour of the sunset in the morning.

Her ears were like piggy tails, fluffy and hanging at her shoulder - even tied with blue ribbons at the end where her fur was longer than the ear itself. She was _not_ scary. Not in the slightest. The only thing that could have been considered scary about her were the fangs that she bore when she smiled that were squeezed between otherwise blunt teeth.

We met in the Autumn at M.U when a storm - which was more like a hurricane - blew in. The town was under lock down, and those of us at the University who could not return home were forced to stay in the common room, sleeping with nothing but a blanket and a pillow

My parents had organised for me to be picked up and taken home before the storm, but the weather had grown worse sooner than anyone could have anticipated. I ended up sharing a space of floor next to a grisly monster with grabby tentacles and #17, who had been asleep before I had found my place next to her.

Over two hundred students were crammed into one room like fleas on a feral dogs back. I had hardly enough room to roll over.

By midnight most students were either asleep or laying awake listening to the howl of the storm as it shook the building and revenged our campus. I, unfortunately, was one of the awake. The noise and the hard floor beneath my back proved to be my worst enemies in by battle for sleep.

#17, or Miss Illamay Perks as I later came to know her as, rolled over next to me. She was close enough that when she took a deep breath and hummed in contentment, her breath ran over my fur like a warm summer breeze.

I didn't dare move away. The monster behind me had almost ensnared me with his tentacles an hour before and if I moved closer I had feared he'd get me.

She was wearing a thin, white, cotton blouse with the logo of the local shopping centre on it and a collar. I assumed - which, at the time, was all I could do - that she had come straight from work.

I gave her one last glance before rolling over to continue my crusade for sleep.

I woke up at 1 that morning after dozing off to find Illamay cuddled into my back, her long tail coiled around my leg. I grew agitated and cleared my throat, shimmying alway from the girls grasp. As I did, her tired voice slipped from her lips:

"Joseph, stop moving. I'm freezing," she whined, nuzzling into my fur.

"My name isn't Joseph, and I don't care if you're cold. Could you please remove your tail from my leg," I answered bluntly, feeling as if I was caught in the coils of a python.

Her deep, lazy breaths stopped and the girl rolled off, suddenly awake.

I too rolled over, looking at her with dismay.

"You are not Joeseph," she stated, her hands covering her eyes as she lay on her back.

"No..." I replied.

"You're fur is just soft like his was, and I... I must have thought... I'm so sorry. This is so embarrassing," she groaned.

Suddenly, the incident was less annoying to me. She looked sweet as she hid herself from me, embarrassed and flustered, and she thought I was soft.

"You think I'm soft?" I asked smugly, feeling my ego puff up as a grin found its way to my lips.

She peaked from behind her hands. "I said that out loud, didn't I?" She asked with a grimace.

I smirked and nodded.

"Oh god!" She said as she hid again.

I chuckled as I watched her. What kind of monster was she that she was that cute?

"So is Joseph your boyfriend?" I teased, luring her out of her shell.

An exasperated sigh escaped her lips as her hands fell away from her face and rested on her stomach.

"No, he was, but not anymore."

"So the cuddler is single?" I was purely toying with her at this point, using her awkwardness to my advantage to cease my boredom.

"Yes - wait, the cuddler?" She questioned, amusement soaking her voice as she rolled onto her side.

"Well yeah," I said, shuffling closer, "since you nuzzled into my back, it only seems appropriate."

She laughed, and for the first time looked me in the eye. Hers were the colour of ripe peaches - psychedelic rings of gold and pink that made me forget my words for a moment. "I did apologise for that," she said with a smile.

"Got a name, cuddler?"

"Illamay," she answered, "and the monster with the soft fur, does he have a name?"

I laughed. "Johnny Worthington, the third."

"There's three other people in the world named Johnny Worthington?"

"Yeah?" I said, questioning the her misunderstanding.

"Okay then," she said, suddenly accepting the fact, "well what is Johnny Worthington the third majoring in here at M U?"

"Scaring Major," I said with a smirk, titling my chin up in pride. "And the cuddler?"

"Psychology Major."

"You want to be a psychologist?"

"Yeah," she said with a titter, shuffling closer as if to tell me a secret, "I want to help monsters, scarers, who have been traumatised by their work get back on their feet and into society."

"Well, that's quite noble of you." She blushed and looked away, suddenly bashful and unable to look me in the eye. "I can only hope that if I ever need to get back on my feet that I have someone like you to help me."

"I hope not, Johnny, monsters who need that kind of help have usually had near death experiences on the other side of a door and barely come out without being caught or touched, I wouldn't wish that for you," she said with a level of sincerity that made my words catch in my throat.

My smile melted from my lips and I found myself feeling the weight of her words. "Let's hope not then," I said, forcing charm back onto my features.

We spoke in whispers for most of the night. No subject was untouchable. Illamay had an opinion on everything - mostly scaring and the human world. She had theories that children were not actually poisonous, that it was all a lie. I'll admit that I laughed, but I'll also admit that she could have been right.

By 6 we both decided that we should sleep - mostly because Illamay's every second word was replaced with a yawn.

"Still cold?" I asked her as we lay side by side with our eyes closed, biting our tongues as we had so much more to say that night but knew sleep was more important.

I felt her move at my side as she nodded. "It's actually colder now."

"Y'know, I don't mind if I need to keep you warm," I said in a whisper, a smirk tugging at my lips as playfulness entered my tone.

"Really?" She asked.

I nodded, "I'd hate for you to freeze."

She rolled on to her side as I did, allowing herself to rest against my chest. I put my arm around her waist and pulled her closer, hearing her purr in my arms.

I hummed in reply. "Warm enough now?"

She nodded against me.

That was how we fell asleep. The next morning we were a few of the last to wake up. We gathered our blankets and bid each other goodbye. At that time there was nothing between us - not really - so goodbye seemed like the best option.

But as I walked away, Illamay caught up to me. As I turned around she pressed her lips against mine.

The kiss lasted for a moment and she ran her fingers through my fur as I pulled her flush against me.

"See ya 'round, Johnny the third," she said breathlessly as she pulled away, sauntering off as if I was as much her conquest as she was mine.

I went to ask her out the next day after having her stuck on my mind since she'd left me. But once she saw me in my red and yellow RORs sweater something in her sunset eyes changed. At first she didn't believe that I was a ROR, or that I was leader of the fraternity, and when she finally accepted it, she told me she couldn't date me.

She said she wouldn't date someone that everyone was throwing themselves at, that she refused to be another number or another girl to brag about while going behind her back with a million sorority girls.

She kissed my cheek and told me she'd see me around.

I hadn't known her ex was a Fraternity monster. It turned out he'd wronged her in more ways that I could have thought, with more girls that I could have counted. She didn't want to risk it again.

God I wished she had.


	2. Chapter 2

**(A/N) okay so I wasn't quite done with these two. I've got this short chapter and another after that. But both are very short since this was just supposed to be a one shot, but I got two really sweet reviews on this story and I felt like you guys deserved a present.**

Senior year rolled around and I had added numbers 18, 19, 20 and 21 to my list. But every time I passed 17 in the halls, or saw her sitting quietly with friends or saw her cheering at a football game, I couldn't help but wonder what could have been if I hadn't have worn my RORs sweater that day in Sophomore year.

Autumn rolled into Winter and the school year was half way gone. I found myself at the local grocery store stocking up on party supplies for a 'Christmas blow out' party - my annual present to the scare students. I blindly walked to the register, Chet scurrying at my side, chattering excitedly about the party.

I placed my items on the counter and looked up, freezing mid word. It was the first time since Autumn in Sophomore year that I had been face to face with her, and I cursed that I was wearing my stupid RORs sweater yet again - though it was the first time I had admitted that it was stupid.

Illamay looked at me blankly then refuse to look at me at all. "Afternoon Sir," she said politely, greeting me as nothing but a customer.

I couldn't reply. Chet looked at me with concern, glancing between 17 and I like a child looking for answers. At last, his eyes widened and he backed away. "I'll meet ya in the car, Johnny," he lisped, retreating to the fwd like a soldier to a bunker, fearing the grenade about to explode,

I tapped my fingers as nerves brought my limbs to life, I desperately wanted to say something to her, but I was unable to find any words. What could I say?

I haven't stopped thinking about you - No, that's grovelling.

Give me a chance? Still begging.

I could have loved you...

...Definetely not.

"Looks like your throwing quite the party," Illamay said, beating me to the first words as she sorted my items into a bag.

"Yeah," I said with a nod, "Christmas blow out party, to celebrate the end I the term." I felt like an idiot explaining it, the pride I previously held for the party disappearing.

"Sounds exciting," she answered, emotionless and robotic. Where was that flare that was in her voice when she spoke about helping people? Where was that little giggle she tried to contain when I smiled at her?

She stopped still for a moment, waiting for the register to sum up my total. The sound of her claws tapping on the register impatiently were like gunshots. She wanted me gone. "That'll be forty five ninety nine."

I pulled the money from the backpack Chet had left with me and handed it over, but I noticed as she took every precaution to ensure our hands did not touch as the exchange was made. "You should come," I suggested, "for old times sake."

She looked at me with those peach coloured eyes, unsureity written on her beastly features. She was questioning it, I could see it. "I'll think about it," she answered as she handed me my change. "Have a nice day."

I left quickly and melted into the front seat of the car, throwing the supplies in the back. I covered my face in shame and wished I could hide under my bed like a true monster.

Worthingtons don't stammer. They don't freeze up when talking to girls. They don't awkwardly invite them places. What was wrong with me?!

"That wath her, wathn't it?" Chet asked from the passenger seat.

"Was who?" I snapped, refusing to let him see me be weak. I sat up from my slouch and flipped up my collar, reinforcing the image of composure I upheld.

"Theventeen? The girl from the thtorm night?"

"What's it to you?" I retorted, raising my voice as I started the car, letting out a slight grunt as my face contorted into a snarl - I was still the alpha, he needed to remember that.

"Nothing, jutht... Nothing..."

"That's what I thought," I said as I smacked the hat off his head and pulled out of the parking lot.


	3. Chapter 3

**(a/n) sorry this chapter is so late. Thanks to the little Nonny who reviewed and encouraged me to write again. I already had this chapter waiting, but I will be working on the final chapter now. :) **

The party seemed to be just like every other I had ever thrown - except, instead of dancing and mingling like I usually would have, I paced in the back room, engulfed by nerves.

"Have a drink, Johnny," Chet insisted, attempting to console me.

"I don't want one," I replied angrily, "now stop asking."

"Well thtop worrying. Doeth it really matter if thee doethn't come? There are plenty of other pretty monthterth here."

I stopped pacing for a moment. What did he just say? Other monsters? I didn't want _other monsters_, I hadn't been waiting for years for a chance with _other monsters_. I'd been waiting for _her_.

I turned to face him with a growl building in my chest like thunder, allowing only a rumble to escape me. "Yes, it does matter," I said through clenched teeth, "now get out! Go keep watch! Tell me when she gets here!" I roared as he scuttled away.

A let out a sigh as the door clicked behind him. My fur was standing on end, my face contorted into what seemed like a permanent snarl. Perhaps I did need that drink?

I resorted back to pacing, keeping the thunder in my chest contained by walking back and forth on the red carpet, looking at the photos on the wall, anything to keep self-doubt at bay.

Everything I did seemed to be in question. Should I have worn the sweater? Is my fur groomed properly? What should I say? Will she even turn up? The whole night could go on without an appearance.

I didn't think I would be able to take I if she didn't show.

With that thought, Javier entered the room. "She's here, Johnny," he said seriously, understanding the importance it held.

I brushed past him without another word. "Front door," he called after me.

I pushed past other attendees, morphing into my calmer self despite the tornado that threw my thoughts around in my head like shrapnel.

Suddenly there she was; pushing through the crowd as they took no notice of her. Her ears hung over the scarf that was draped around her neck, lacking the ribbons she usually wore. Her tail twitched nervously as her sunset eyes searched the crowd. Was she looking for me?

Randy appeared next to me - having been my invisible look-out for the past hour - and gave me a slight push. "Go get her, Johnny," he whispered, disappearing before I could swipe at him.

I took a deep breath and flipped up my collar, setting off into the crowd with determination. I crept up behind her and opened my mouth to speak, but she sucked in a quick breath and turned before I got the chance.

It made me grin to see her eyes light up as she saw me. "Johnny," she said sweetly, the tension in her shoulders melting.

"Hey Cuddler," I purred, feeling my confidence return as I saw the girl from the night in the school halls in front of me. I smiled, and she tried to contain a giggle.

"I thought I'd never find you with all these people here," she said, her eyes flicking between the faces in the crowd as if she were scared of them.

"I thought you'd never show up," I admitted, only half teasing.

"Neither did I. It was a last minute decision."

"Im glad ya did." Silence lingered between us, the sound of the ongoing party hardly drowning out its screams. "I, uh, like your scarf," I said, forcing a smile as I concentrated on keeping my voice steady - I would not stutter this time. Worthingtons don't stutter.

"Thank you," she replied, fiddling with with knotted ends of the fabric, "it's freezing out there."

I laughed. Of course she was cold. A tiny thing like her mustn't have had much on her to protect her from the cold - except a thin black scarf.

"Need someone to keep you warm?"

"Smooth, but not quite, Johnny," she bantered, the mischievous grin that appeared on her lips making my knees weak.

"At least let me get you a drink, I can't have you shivering at my party, and that'll warm you up a little at least," I suggested, praying to higher power that she'd let me offer even the smallest but of kindness.

"Sure," she agreed, "but just a coke. I'm not drinking tonight. I don't wanna do something stupid."

I chuckled nervously. If only something stupid had have been me.

Gingerly, I took her hand, hoping that she wouldn't pull away.

For a second I felt her tense, and I felt her hand slip from mine. My heart skipped a beat as I thought I'd lost her, but then our finger entwined.

"Come on," I said as a tugged her hand, leading her through the crowd.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't level my breathing. Just having her near - holding her hand - made my heart beat fast. Heat pooled in my cheeks and I was glad she couldn't see my face, because I knew it would have been red.

"Ow!" She squeaked from behind me. I turned quickly, brows furrowed and ready to tear apart anyone that had hurt her.

"Bitch! Step off!" One Pink yelled at another, her eyes red and glowing.

The crazy eyed monster that stood in the middle of them tried to defend himself.

One girl was his girlfriend, and the other, a look a like who was happy to pretend.

As the argument escalated, Illamay stepped from her position of observation at the side line into me, taking my hand. As she brushed past, her perfume caught me and I was trapped like a rabbit in a snare.

"Damn, you're parties are eventful," she whispered as she pulled me away.

"I know somewhere we can go that's quieter?" I purred, taking the lead.

She laughed. "Yeah? Are you gonna lead me off to your room now? Eh, Johnny?"

Her laugh was the one I had missed, and the twinkle in her eye brought back memories of Autumn. "I know somewhere quieter."

To my surprise, Illamay kept a firm grip on my hand as she allowed me to lead her away from the party.


	4. Chapter 4

**(a/n) I don't even know if anyone still cares about this story, but I watched the movie again tonight while listening to 'the end of all things' by panic at the disco and finally figured out how to end the story. **

17

I sat outside the next morning, the winter morning welcoming me with the twinkle of snow. The wind guiding away the steam from my coffee as it rose from my mug, and my breath looked like dragons smoke. I was cold, but the world had never been so beautiful.

I smiled to myself - a little smile, one that crept onto my lips as thoughts ran through my head. I was tired, and my thumb brushed over the surface of my warm cup as it had Illamay's cheek before I had kissed her at the party. We had been on that same step, and I had never known how much I wanted - needed - something until I kissed her.

She had shared my bed with me. I'd been with 20 other girls before, but it was something about being with her under those sheets with her that made it feel like the first time.

I was remembering how it felt to have her close when she sat next to me, giving a sigh, and staring out into the snow covered campus, admiring it as I was.

It took me a moment to recognise her, because her dark fur was covered by a bright red and yellow jumper. My RoR's jumper.

I couldn't say anything, I just smiled and put my arm around her.

"It's very soft," she said, resting her head on my shoulder.

"Softer than me?" I asked, glancing at her as she staring out into the school.

"Softer than anything. Smells like you, too."

A silence lingered for a moment, but not in a bad way. It was a peaceful kind of quiet, like the one that engulfs you as you fall asleep.

"Johnny, do you remember the day you asked me out?"

"Yes," I replied quietly.

"Do you remember how I said no?"

"Yes. How could I forget?"

"Well, if you were to ask me again, I probably wouldn't say no."

"Do you think we could make it work?" I asked, holding her a little closer.

"I'd be willing to try," she told me, looking up at me for an answer.

I smiled, and kissed the top of her head. "I'd be willing to try, too."

We got married after we graduated, and she wore a black dress because she hated how white clashed with her fur. I became a scarer, like the rest of my family, and she a trauma psychologist, and we lived in an apartment in the big city, close to my work.

I wish I could say we lived happily ever after, but this story is about the one that got away.

I had been a scarer for just five years when I was shot, trapped, and held captive by a family in Texas. I was there for three days, and lost a half a horn.

After that I just couldn't cope. I couldn't scare anymore, and Illamay couldn't sleep next to me because the night terrors were so bad that I had hurt her on multiple times.

She tried so hard to help me, but the only thing that made anything better was whiskey, because every time I looked in the mirror, and saw my single horn, it all came back to me - the burning of the bullet as it sat beneath my flesh, the man who cut off my horn with his hunting knife and knelt on my neck until I passed out so he could do so, and the feeling of thinking I'd never see Illamay again as I sat in the darkness, surrounded by metal bars. I would never forget the feeling of thinking the last thing I was going to see before I died were a pair of hateful eyes, when all I wanted was the sunset.

I was arrested for being drunk and disorderly one night a few months later and sent to jail for property damage. Illamay sat on the opposite side of the little window, our little girl on her knee. She told her, Cassie, to go ask the security guard how his day was, and as Cassie skipped away, Illamay covered her face and sighed.

She stayed that way for a few moments before looking up at me with teary eyes. It killed me to know that I was the reason she was crying.

"In these past years, many, many things have changed, Johnny. We graduated, got jobs, started a family, and those were good changes. Then the incident happened," she shifted her gaze to my broken horn for a moment before returning it to the table.

"Things changed for the worst after that, and you haven't been the same since. I cant-" her voice broke and she shifted in her seat, "I can't do this anymore. I can't keep coming home, hoping that you've been sober enough to look after Cassie. I can't keep sleeping on the couch because I'm scared you'll attack me."

"Illamay-" she cut me off before I could finish my plea.

"Whether I'm near or far, I'll always be yours, Johnny. I've loved you since university, and I don't believe I'll ever stop, but I need to do what's best for Cassie and I. I'm going to stay at my Mums, and taking Cas with me. I'll put in for a divorce on Monday." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she stood, clutching her handbag.

"No, Illamay, please - wait!" I called, banging on the glass. I saw the security guard step towards me, and Illamay take the hand of our little girl and escort her away.

It was the last time I ever saw her, and I had never cried so hard.

As Illamay left the prison, her car skidded on the back roads. She froze to death after being thrown from the car. Cassie was three, and managed to escape with only a broken arm. Cassie is now 6, and it makes me sad to look at her at times. She has my purple fur, and two little horns, but her ears droop like her mother's, and her eyes are the colour of peaches. On a bad day I can't look her in the eye, but when she's smiling, it takes back to the night when a storm - one that was outside and not in my head - kept me awake, and the most beautiful, non-scary monster in the whole world was falling in love with me, and I was falling in love with her. Sometimes that makes me cry more.

**(A/N okay that the end. Tell me what you think. It might even write some fluff based on these two if you guys want. Maybe. **


	5. Authors note

**A/N. Hey guys, I have a new story up about Johnny's three days in captivity if anyone want to have a look. I do warn you, this story may be sadder and more graphic than this one. Please caution. **


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